


Why Do We Fall?

by ALittleResolve



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Batman Begins (2005)
Genre: Angst, Batman - Freeform, Character Death, Feels, Friendship, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-15
Updated: 2014-04-15
Packaged: 2018-01-19 13:23:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1471387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ALittleResolve/pseuds/ALittleResolve
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bruce tries to save his good friend and servant, Alfred as Wayne Manor burns to the ground.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Why Do We Fall?

**Author's Note:**

> My first fic ever so I apologise if it's not very good, but I hope someone enjoys it.

The pungent smell of ash haunted Bruce as he stepped out the Batmobile. A Legacy. That’s what was in front of him. Burning to the ground. The flames continued to engulf Wayne Manor, like a disease that wouldn’t quit. 

The smoke disguised the skylines of Gotham in the distance, as if the city was breaking the privacy of the grounds. Bruce bounded towards the towering entrance as two of Ra’s Al Ghul’s assassins began making their towards him. The first assassin, who was clearly new to the regiment judging by his predictable body movement and attitude, began to attack Bruce.

Bruce halted the incoming fist, crushing the knuckles as they shattered like glass. The second assassin wasn’t fazed by this as he launched himself into a daring roundhouse kick. In an instant, Bruce stepped aside and grabbed the assassin from behind, putting him into a sleeper hold while the other assassin still looked in horror at his hand. The assassins body fell like a weight onto the cobbled stones before Bruce shocked the remaining foe with his shock gloves.

Burnt wood and ruined possessions laid amongst the flames as Bruce waded his through the smoke. He may as well have been blind. He preceded down the almost never ending hallway. A whimper of a sound made its way into the atmosphere.

Even if it was faint, Bruce knew the tone of its owner. Fallen debris blocked the doorway into the grand hall as Bruce came to a stop. There wasn’t any time to figure another way round. Bruce began to picked up the wooden log, as it made a hissing noise as it burnt through his gloves.

No amount of physical pain could match up to what Bruce saw next. In the middle of the grand hall, like some sort of church like monument, Alfred lay surrounded by the hellish environment. His footsteps almost shook the floor, as Bruce ran to Alfred’s side. He dropped to his knees, next to his old friend.

“Alfred! Alfred!” Bruce cried out. “Alfred come on!”

“Master Wayne, nice of you to come by” Alfred barely whimpered.

“Alfred, Alfred, are you hurt?”.

Bruce didn’t get isn’t the world’s greatest detective for nothing. He already knew the answer. Blood trickled from Alfred’s side onto the elaborate wooden flooring. The hole in Alfred’s uniform indicated he had been stabbed.

“Master Wayne don’t worry, everything shall be fine. The foundations in the South East corner are still standing. You should go there at once” Alfred demanded of Bruce.

“You? I’m not leaving you here. Your old age has made you weary Alfred”.

“We both know what happens next Sir. For heaven’s sake, look around you. The final page has been written”.

“Alfred I’m getting you out of here. Let’s go!” Bruce said as he began to pick Alfred delicately from the floor.

The roof was already unstable, as debris smashed onto the ground in the corner. Wayne Manor was becoming hardly recognizable.

Alfred grabbed Bruce by the arm, as if he was stopping him.

“Master Wayne, Thomas was always proud of you, especially in his final days. Martha and Thomas Wayne couldn’t have dreamed to have a such heir to their throne. When your parents died, a legacy was handed to me Sir. A legacy that I wouldn’t let down”.

Bruce tried to grab Alfred again, but he is stopped again. The room was becoming smaller by the minute.

“Since your father died, I have looked after you as if you were my own. I nursed you when you were sick, taught you the values of life that Thomas would have continued to live by. If there is one thing I have wanted to tell you Sir, it is that I am proud to have being a part of this family for generations. It has been an honour to have cared for you for all this time Master Wayne”.

Bruce picked up Alfred, cradling him as he bombarded out the hall, as the ceiling began to fall through behind him. With as much speed as he could gather while holding Mr Pennyworth, Bruce made his way to the library. The piano stood still intact, even after all this. C, D, A.

The bookcase opened.

Bruce stepped into the elevator that was managing to hold on.

“Alfred you’re going to be okay. Hold on” Bruce said with the upmost panic in his voice.  
The bookcase closed as the elevator began to descend into the infamous cave below.

“There’s nothing we can do Bruce. This is where your final test starts. Remember what your father said Bruce?” Alfred asked as his body became more and more numb.

Bruce looked down at Alfred, the Bat Cowl now on the floor as Bruce dropped it.

“Why do we fall?” Alfred paused for a brief moment. “So we can learn to pick ourselves back up”.

In that moment, as the words hanged in the air, two heartbeats became one.


End file.
